The Poor Pickles
by htsol
Summary: After the season 2 episode 6 the garage sale, the Pickles sold everything and were left with nothing, Stu had just spent all their savings on a new invention that hadn't gone right, leaving the family with money problems and with a baby like Tommy things might get complicated.


The pickles are poor,

After the garage sale the Pickles sold everything and were left with nothing, Stu had just spent all their savings on a new invention that hadn't gone right, plus some bills from other inventions that required fixes, and Stu's medical bills from so many injuries were going to leave tommy to find out about money problems. And with no income except from Didi's paycheck the family was about to struggle.

That night after the garage sale, everyone was trying to make the Pickles family cheer up, Didi was trying to look on the positive side of what had happened. Except Stu told her to shove off clearly not in the mood looking over at the kids knowing perfectly well it was their fault, they somehow managed to pretty much put them on the street now that they had nothing and what they earned from the sales would only be good for a few days of grocery shopping and with Tommy that wouldn't be easy.

Once all the other parent were gone taking away their kids Stu asked them if they could take care of each other for at least a week to not add up to their expenses, the all agreed and said goodbye.

Once Stu closed the door he was furious at Tommy, Didi interrupted his thoughts saying "Stu look on the bright side now we can redecorate."

But Stu yelled back "What's the bright side Didi we don't have any money to redecorate with because the brat put everything in the yard."

"Don't raise your voice your scaring him. Said Didi worried looking at Tommy about to cry.

"Of course he should be scared look at what he did now we don't have anything, hell we have to sleep on the ground, we have no beds or blankets." whined Stu.

Didi just sighed knowing Stu was right "let's talk about this tomorrow ok let's put Tommy to bed"

"Sure the brat didn't give away any of his things." Quipped the angry Stu.

"Oh Stu just let it go." Finished Didi as she walked away with Tommy.

The next day Tommy was happy he could walk around everywhere there was nothing in his way, but Didi picked him up saying "Come on Tommy we need to go to the store and pick up groceries."

Tommy was disappointed he hated doing errands with his mommy, because it was so boring but he knew if he was good he would get a sucker. Didi drove off with Tommy in the backseat playing with his little ball cooing and giggling Didi couldn't help smiling thinking that was her beautiful baby boy, once they arrived at the store Didi grabbed a cart and placed Tommy in it, she went up to the produce section and started to look around for fresh vegetables leaving Tommy close by to another cart with a baby holding a toy car.

Tommy asked "Where'd ya get that?"

The baby said "Past the place with lots of bottles is a place with lots of toys."

Tommy's eyes grew wide, he wanted to see it for himself. As they were speaking the other child was taken away by his father. So Tommy got out of the cart landing on his cushy diaper and began to walk around still holding his ball in his hand, he started to bounce it around, having fun while looking for the toys, Didi still gathering everything weighing apples on a scale too busy to notice child was gone.

As Tommy was bouncing the ball it suddenly bounced away but to his surprise he found himself in a place with bottles stacked everywhere, he saw his ball land on the second shelf, knowing once he got it down he could find the toys.

He started the climb on a rack and once he was on the second level it started to shake, Tommy however was able to get the ball and get down on the ground before he accidently knocked over a tower of bottles unknown to Tommy this was a liquor isle, and he just knocked down about two thousand dollars' worth of bottles he was left in awe as the bottles kept crashing down, after the wine started to pool all around his little feet he remembered he was trying to find the toys so he waddled away, his ball firmly in his grasp.

He was looking around the aisle, when he heard a funny noise not understanding a word that it said. Once Didi had everything she went back to place it in the cart only to scream not seeing Tommy she started walking around franticly. Meanwhile the store manager was seeing the damages from the wine breaking that he saw little foot prints and he decided to follow them, so he went around looking only to find Tommy playing with a race car he had managed to get out of the packaging.

He grabbed him by the arm and over the speaker announced a baby dressed in a diaper and a blue shirt was found and that the parent should pick him up at the manager's office, Didi hearing this ran over to the manager's office as quickly as she could. Once she got there she immediately began hugging Tommy worried he was kidnapped. The store manager however moved by Didi's love for her son but was adding up all that was owed for the destruction.

He went up to them and told Didi that Tommy was responsible for breaking over two dozen bottles of wine plus he took out a toy from the packaging and would need to pay for it, she scoffed saying Tommy would never do that but he just showed them a security tape of Tommy knocking down the bottles followed by him running into the toy aisle and playing with toys.

Didi just looked down at Tommy in hers arms squeezing his ball so innocent, but that innocents was going to cost her.

She sighed asking "How much?"

"It'll be 2,024 dollars" said the store manager.

"Are you kidding me?" scoffed Didi.

"Afraid not" said the manager coldly expecting the money.

"Fine, let me pay part of it in cash and I'll pay another part with a card," said Didi worried that it was a lot of money.

"Sure thing follow me to a register." Said the manger walking over to a cash register.

At the register they tried with two of Didi's three cards and were rejected, she was worried she wouldn't have any money but luckily her third card a debit card had enough of her savings to pay off the debt, seeing she didn't have much more left on the card she didn't have enough for her grocery's so she had to pick out the essential, picking Tommy's baby wipes and a box of cheap cereal. Leaving her with only 20 dollars in a single bill with 30 cents in 3 dimes.

She went outside and placed Tommy in his little car seat, Tommy was giggling but she was annoyed, his little escapade cost her so much they didn't have any money now. She went back home defeated. She got Tommy out of the car taking away his ball and new toy car. He started crying but Didi didn't care she was annoyed, all because of him they now had no food and would have to make do with what they had.

Tommy was mad his new toy that his mommy bought was taken away, why would she buy him something then take it away. Didi called up Stu from the basement and told him about what happened at the store.

He yelled "What he don't have that much food left and my dad is gone for the month living it up in Vegas!"

"Well I also found out that we have two maxed out cards and our bank account is pretty much empty. All we have left is the twenty dollar bill until next week" said Didi holding the bill in her hands.

"Well we have a problem with money then" said Stu.

Tommy overheard this and was wondering what kind of problem money could do. But he just pushed the thought in the back of his mind wanting to play. The day went on and didi made an inventory of what they had, little food and few diapers, so she had to think the best thing to do and avoid wasting anything including changing Tommy's diaper until it was really necessary, and was thankful she did a load of everyone's clothes before the yard sale meaning they would have fresh changes.

As the day went on, Tommy noticed he was hungry, he wanted snacks, like Reptar bars. So he cried, Didi realized that they had enough formula for 3 days and if they wanted to make it last Tommy could only drink one bottle per day thinking it would be best to give hi his bottle at night, so she gave him a small plate with cereal and a bottle filled with water, Tommy however was displeased, this wasn't like any other snacks he has had before, cookies or fruit or mc and cheese those were snacks not cereal without milk or water. So he threw the plate right at Didi hoping he would get something better, Didi however just thought he wasn't hungry so she took him out of the highchair he was in, and placed him in the playpen.

Tommy was sad he was hungry and didn't have anything to eat, he remembered he had crackers in the couch, looking where the couch would be had he not sold it, but now he realized he didn't have a couch. He was sad he couldn't go to any of his hiding spots because now he didn't have anywhere to hide things. He cried realizing he didn't have anything.

Didi heard her son and came up to check on him, thinking he wet himself but, he was dry and nothing soothed him, since he didn't want his lunch she just left him alone to cry,

Tommy just kept crying until he tiered himself out, then he realized it was getting late and nobody came over, normally he would be playing with his friends but the weren't there. All he could do was entertain himself, his mommy hadn't given him back the new toy and so he would have to go to his room for his favorite toys, he took out his screwdriver and unlocked the playpen, waddling over to the stairs.

Once he reached his room he looked around for the toys he would take, and he wanted his wagon to be able to take as many toys as he would ever want but he hadn't realized that it was sold in yesterday's sales, so now he had to carry them all, he franticly looked around his room but with no wagon he would carry as many as he could take, his toy firetruck, his tuffed lion named Henry, and his toy airplane, the toy truck alone was so big he could barely hold it and as he was reaching the stairs , he tripped falling down the stairs barely grabbing hold of the carpet of the first step wetting himself out of fear of falling, making all the toys fall down the stairs, his airplane landed on the bottom steps, his truck however was rolling losing wheels and its lights being smashed, even losing the bottom part and to make matters worse it landed right on top of Tommy's airplane crushing it, his toy lion fell down the side of the stairs getting stuck between the furniture and the stairs with no way for Tommy to get it out.

Tommy ran down the stair to see his toys, they were all broken, his airplane smashed by his truck, his truck in pieces, he started crying at the top of his lungs, Didi came and saw the mess of toy pieces scattered, but she knew Tommy should have been in the playpen, she tried to soothe him and she called Stu to help her.

"Stu can you come here please?" asked Didi.

Stu came asking "What's wrong Deed?"

"Well Tommy broke his toys, can you fix them?" answered Didi.

"I don't think so I don't have the parts or the money to buy the parts, or money to buy new toys" said Stu letting out a sigh.

He looked at Tommy saying "Sorry champ patting him on the head."

This only made Tommy angry, he remembered the conversation his parents had about their money problems, and now he was thinking how come they have money but they won't spend it, then that is a problem, and he would have to get rid of that problem,

As Didi was holding Tommy she noticed he was wet so he thought he would need a change taking him upstairs to his room, and placing him on the changing table, just as she was about to unlatch the diaper she remembered that he would only have one change a day and since it wasn't even 4 o clock then that would mean he would need to stay in his dirty diaper a lot longer, so she said "Sorry Tommy we don't have that many diapers." taking him back downstairs placing him in the playpen.

Tommy was confused his diaper was wet and his mommy didn't want to change it, she always changed it, and his dad always tried fixing his toys, sure most times he couldn't but he would at least try, as the day went on Tommy just laid in the playpen trying to take a nap. After a few hours Didi came back for Tommy so he could have dinner, she still had some apple sauce in the kitchen and new that would be great for Tommy as Stu and her would just eat left overs for now.

While Tommy was being fed he noticed his bottom started to hurt, and what was worse he pooped himself when he was woken up, so now he was sitting in his poop and having a wet diaper since the afternoon he wasn't happy, he had never been dirty like this for so long. He started crying wanting to be changed but Didi still thought the diaper could hold more and that he would get a bath a little bit later anyway, Tommy didn't want to eat, yes he was starving since he didn't have lunch but now he was more preoccupied with getting changed.

But Didi was tired it was a long day for her, so she had no choice but with one hand open her sons mouth and with the other force feed him dinner seeing as he was misbehaving so much today. Once Tommy's plate was empty Didi placed him in the playpen while she cleaned up the kitchen, and took Stu his dinner seeing as he was so occupied with a new invention to help them get out from so much debt.

Tommy was mad he had a diaper rash and felt the poop on his back, just as he went even more in his diaper, he cried, however Didi was in the basement taking a plate of leftovers to Stu, too far away to hear Tommy's crying. So Tommy did the only thing he could think of, with tears in his eyes he toke off his diaper unlatching the sides and dropped his diaper on the ground, he was mad because his parents didn't want to spend any money so he went to the kitchen to find the money that his parents greedily kept to themselves, Tommy got the money and ran as quickly as he could into his room, he hid it under his crib so nobody would find it because his parents had a problem with money but he didn't, so he would keep it.

Then he went back down stairs trying to find his toy lion Henry if it was still stuck and maybe he could reach it, it was behind the bookshelf and the stairs, to high up from the ground, and too low to reach from the stairs, he just walked away disappointed, when his mother came looking for him knowing he would need a bath, she was worried that Tommy could be regressing wanting to be naked again when all that was in the playpen was a dirty diaper smeared on the ground, and might have an accident leaving a mess all around, so she started to scream his name, Tommy just froze up hearing his mom scream his name, when she saw him only in his blue shirt waddling back to the living room.

She picked him up and said to him "No Tommy we don't take off our diapers." taking him over to see the mess that was left in the playpen, then took him upstairs and gave him a bath, After the bath Tommy was placed and given his bottle in his crib so he could go to sleep, Didi said goodnight and went downstairs to clean up the mess.

The next day Didi woke up Tommy, Tommy felt his bottom was sore, he had started to get diaper rash and the poor baby had no idea it was only going to get worse. He didn't get a fresh diaper in the morning like he normally would, instead Didi just checked him seeing the diaper could last longer and brought him downstairs so he could have breakfast, he was given cereal with milk, but the cereal tasted funny it didn't have any tastiness like other times, no sugar nothing sweet, he didn't want it but Didi just force fed him, knowing they didn't have any more food and that they weren't able to just throw things away especially because of a babies whim. Tommy was mad his mommy made him eat that awful cereal even though he didn't want it, and he still had his diaper on even though it was wet, knowing fully well his parents had a problem with money.

He remembered the white box in the kitchen always has food so he would just sneak in and get something tasty for himself. He watched his mommy go upstairs, and decided to go for the food, Tommy made it to the fridge and pulled the door seeing all that there was, he did realize that there wasn't much there like other times in fact it was pretty much empty however, some milk he could reach, what was in Tupperware he didn't recognize so he just pushed it aside making it fall on the floor making a huge mess of foods, all of Didi's leftovers now on the floor with Tommy chugging at the gallon of milk that was almost empty, which was why Didi was rationing it, Tommy looked in the fridge cabinets seeing vegetables he didn't like and some he had never seen before he pulled them out and tossed them all on the ground to see what was under, he grew tired noticing there wasn't any more food.

Tommy was getting disappointed he drank all the milk but couldn't find any more than things he couldn't eat or things he didn't want to eat. So he closed the door thinking that if he opened it again the fridge would have more food like it always works for his mom, but he came to the surprise that no new foods were there it was empty after he tossed everything he could reach from the shelfs, leaving only the top shelf with a melon, and a small plate of chicken soup for only one person.

He walked over to the cabinets looking for apple sauce or maybe even Reptar bars only finding a bit of flour, pushing it a side and some sugar making it all fall to the ground adding to the mess. He was searching around when he found a little bag of gummy bears his mom had hidden away some time ago. He tried them but they were too hard, so hard it hurt his gums, leaving him mad, he tossed the bag at the fridge then he came upon a box with a picture of delicious mac and cheese on the surface so he opened it except to his surprise that it was mac and cheese like the one you put glue on not the kind his mom gives him, he had his head in the cabinets when he heard his mom scream.

"Tommy what did you do, you bad naughty baby, look at the mess you made, you left us with no food, all that's left is…, I can't even make anything because you threw it all away," she screamed falling into tears, she grabbed Tommy by the arm pulling him out of the cabinet, making him hit his head on the sharp edge, starting to cry but Didi was really furious this time so she just kept dragging him to the playpen almost throwing him inside, she took away all the toys and left him alone .

Holding his head with both hands Tommy started crying his mom had never screamed at him before or told him he was a bad baby but he didn't understand they could always get more food. He went in his diaper but Didi didn't even want to look at Tommy he was acting like a brat and now they were left with no food. She would leave him on time out until she felt he had enough,

And now he was in the playpen alone his friends still hadn't come, he couldn't watch TV seeing as there was none, so he went upstairs like yesterday for toys to play with, but this time he remembered he almost fell down so he brought as many toys as he could placing them at the top of the stairs thinking this would be a solution, then he would grab them one by one, except he started pulling them from the bottom creating an avalanche of toys, his ball, his stuffed animals, blocks, puzzle pieces, toy cars they all started rolling down the stairs, his toy cars were mostly destroyed just like his truck, his stuffed animals were ok except one teddy bear that was already ripped lost stuffing everywhere , his ball was sent rolling around everywhere, until it popped on the playpens edge. What really sent him over the edge was a toy Reptar he had just gotten a few days ago lost its head and an arm, and the head had lost the bottom part of its jaw.

Tommy started to cry this was the worst all his toys where scattered around, most of his toys broken, he no longer had anything to play with only stuffed animals, and those were boring so in his fit of rage he got a stuffed bear and started ripping the head off making even more stuffing fly everywhere, it wasn't fair all the fun toys were broken and the boring ones were ok. Then Tommy calmed down realizing what he just did seeing the bear's head in one hand and the rest of its body in the other, with all its stuffing around him.

Didi heard the crashing and came only to see toys scattered over the floor, pieces and stuffing scattered everywhere, she went over to Tommy who was crying, picked him up and took him to his crib saying "Sorry Tommy but we can't fix your toys right now and we can't buy you any." she walked away to get a broom and sweep up the pieces, finding a few blocks and Stuffed animals, some of the puzzle pieces 2 toy cars, picked them up and took them back to Tommy's room.

Tommy was sad he saw what was left of his once great toy collection, Didi said "Sorry sweetie this is all that's left, I can't fix your stuffed animals either because we don't have anything to fix them with, and I don't have money to buy them." This made Tommy feel guilty he had the money but his parents wouldn't spend it on his toys. As soon as Didi had left he got out of the crib.

Didi went back down and put all the pieces that remained in a big plastic bag to be later taken away to the garbage,

When Stu asked Didi that he needed ten dollars for some screws for a new toy and the toy would be done, did just sighed thinking sure it's our best chance any way, "Sure I left the money on the table."

"Ok" said Stu as he got up and went for the money, "Hey deed you sure you left it here there isn't anything here."

"Hold on I'm coming let me check said Didi coming into the kitchen. She checked but was sure she had left it there, she said to Stu "Why don't you go check on Tommy while I check around here I remember I left it here."

"Sure thing" said Stu as he walked away, he had just passed the fresh hold of the door to Tommy's room when he saw Tommy on the ground with a twenty dollar bill in his little hands, Tommy was going to hide it in his diaper for the next time they went out he could buy everything his parents needed, since they had a money problem and he didn't he would be able to spend it, except suddenly his dad came and saw the money so Tommy tried to run, Stu calmly tried to reason with Tommy to let go of the money but he didn't , Stu just grabbed one end and didn't pull knowing it would rip apart but Tommy tried to run pulling on the bill, so his dad wouldn't have money problems.

Then he heard the bill begin to rip, when he looked up he saw anger in his dad's eyes, Tommy was worried, Stu yelled "Look what you just did!" lifting his hand slapping Tommy's hands to get the bill loose from his clutches, thinking with a bit of tape he could piece it together and surely enough Tommy hands where swatted open, he started crying after being hit, Stu looked at the bill in pieces, mad at Tommy the brat had made them lose everything. Now even their last cent thanks to that baby, he left the bill and turned his back thinking what were they going to do, when Tommy saw the chance and grabbed a half of the torn bill and thought he would rip it up more seeing as his dad never hit him before the money problem if there was no money than this would be better for everyone, so he began shredding that half, making Stu scream in a panic slapping Tommy right in the face, sending Tommy to the ground with force, he grabbed the pieces and ran out looking for tape, slamming the door on his way out.

Tommy was really crying now he had never been hit before and now he not only been hit once but twice in the same day. He had a hand on his cheek, Tommy felt his face red and hurting he was crying so loud but nobody came to him, after about twenty minutes later. Stu came back with Didi.

Stu was still mad and brought Didi along for the exact reason that he needed to calm down, Didi wanted to comfort Tommy seeing the handprint on his face but she knew her husband was right to be angry. He single handedly left them with nothing, then there was the grocery store incident even ripping up their last twenty dollars, he needed to be punished. Didi and Stu argued loudly in front of Tommy who was still on the ground sobbing, one hand on his cheek.

Stu began saying "That brat needs to be punished maybe after we sell all his toys and he has nothing to eat he will understand the mess he made, he ripped the last of the money!"

"But Stu you hit him that was wrong" protested Didi.

"I know it was Deed but I told him to let go and he didn't then he still ripped it up more, I didn't mean it but he deserved it, he tossed everything outside but of course he didn't take out any of his toys….. " Said Stu as he began to walk up to Tommy who flinched and peed and pooped himself out of fear thinking he might get slapped again.

Instead Stu grabbed him by the arm smelling the stink of the diaper not being changed and left him in his crib, he told Didi to help him grab all the toys that were there and he would sell them to get money at least for some food.

"But Stu we can't do that…" said a worried Didi.

"Well we can't do nothing Didi we need the money or do you want us to be eating dog food by the end of the week" said Stu.

"Of course not" scoffed Didi.

"Well that's what Tommy seems to want, he broke all the bottles and you couldn't buy any food for us. Plus the toy he opened at the store, not to mention the food he wasted from the fridge the only thing that's left is dog food!" Yelled Stu looking at Tommy who was still holding his cheek with both hands.

Didi just looked down disappointed knowing fully well all there was at least enough for dinner, tomorrow they actually would need to eat dog food. and so they grabbed all the toys leaving the room bare, with nothing for the baby to play with, only leaving the crib with a pillow and a blanket, as the parents were leaving they closed the door leaving Tommy alone crying once again.

Tommy's POV

Was it true what my daddy was saying that because I took the money and I ripped it we don't haves no more food, and I remember the bottles and the toy that mommy took away even after I cried she wouldn't give it back, and in the morning they tried to give me yucky food and I threw it, was it cuz alls that was left was dog food, I remember I tried that befores and it tasted really bad, if we didn't have any food and next time it's gonna be dog food that's bad that was really bad. And I took out all our things and they haves to sell my toys for food. Cuz I put all the food on the ground and I guess that was mommy and daddy's lunch, daddy didn't want to fix my broked toys, mommy couldn't fix them eithers, no wounders my daddy was so mad at mes cuz of the money I took away I thought the problem with money was that they didn't wants to buy mes anything, but its cuz we don't haves no money…..

I miss my toys and I miss my couch and my TV….

And my cheek hurts a lots…

End of Tommy's POV

Didi was walking down the stairs with Tommy's toys when she asked Stu "Are we really going to sell all of Tommy's toys? We can't do that he's our little boy.

"I guess not. I'm sorry I hit him but he seems hell bent on leaving us with nothing, I'll tell you what he does need to be punished so we take away all his toys for now until we begin to get some money, today we will have to eat whatever we can and tomorrow, I'll go over to Drew's house and ask for a loan maybe just 200 dollars just to get by this week and I sell this grand invention even if he holds it over me forever, how does that sound" said stu.

"Better" said Didi with relief.

"Besides who would buy his toys their mostly broken now anyways" joked Stu.

Stu and Didi went outside and placed the toys in the car trunk so Tommy wouldn't be able to get them. Then after Didi had to tell Stu that they really didn't have anything for dinner today except the plate of chicken soup but Didi added the pasta from the mc and cheese to add more so Stu and her could eat something for the two of them until tomorrow because of Tommy throwing all the food on the ground.

Come afternoon it was finally time for dinner, Tommy was left in his crib he just kept sleeping he had nothing better to do now that he had nothing, he just laid there uncomfortably in his full diaper, seeing as he had gone even more during his time out, he felt bad, his bottom hurt his diaper rash was at a record worst, and he didn't want his mom to yell at him for taking off his dirty diaper. So he just laid there on his stomach to lessen the pain.

His mother came for him, picked him up seeing the diaper could hold out until after dinner so they could give Tommy a shower, Tommy was still mad he had a bad case of diaper rash and didn't get a new diaper despite it being full, regardless Didi took him downstairs so they could eat dinner, she placed him on the ground when she heard Spike clawing at the door, having forgotten all about him, Didi went over and opened the backyard door, she went outside and checked that he didn't have any food, thankfully Spike was well stocked up on kibble, dog treats and dog food that would still last a month, so Didi went into the kitchen and got out a can of dog food, grabbed a can opener and began to open it, when Tommy noticed the dog food he began to cry, he remembered eating the dog food on his birthday with his friends and how it tasted horrible, he started screaming thinking now he would need to eat dog food.

Tommy kept screaming so Didi put the can on the floor next to Tommy so she could pick him up and try to soothe him except Tommy thought that now he was going to eat like a dog, on the ground, so Tommy got up and waddled away with Didi chasing after him, he couldn't hide anywhere as there wasn't anywhere too hide then he remembered the fridge, maybe if he gave his mommy some of that food they wouldn't have to eat dog food, Tommy somehow managed to run back into the kitchen, however when he came stepped inside the kitchen he saw his dad sitting on the table.

The table was now set and Stu had picked up the dogfood from the ground so nobody would kick it and make a mess leaving it on the kitchen table while he was reading the paper, that's when Didi grabbed Tommy from behind, he started yelling once he saw what in his mind was for dinner, he saw the table with plates and the only food on the table was dog food. It was his fault now his parents were going to have to eat that bad tasting dog food all because of him, when Didi placed him in his highchair he was balling his eyes out, only being worse seeing as Didi brought over a silver plate to pour the dog food in, this made tommys imagination thinking he was going to eat from the dog bowl, Tommy was so loud that Didi thought he was starving so she left the food there on the table and went for another little plate, one with Reptar on it, Tommy then started to panic he knew that horrible food was coming, but his mom poured some melon that she made into a puree for him instead and tried to feed it to him.

Tommy was happy with the food after the first spoonful didn't taste like dogfood and was sweet to him, but then he thought _Oh nos my mommy and daddy are gonna eats that yucky dogfood all cuz of mes_, a tear came to his eyes, and an idea came to him he would share it with his parents so nobody would eat that dog food, only Spike because apparently that's what Spike likes, so when his mom tried to give him another spoonful, he grabbed her hand and tried to pull on the spoon, Didi laughed asking him, "Do you want to eat by yourself sweetie?" Tommy just coed, she let him grasp on to the spoon but kept it steady so he wouldn't make a mess but instead of moving the spoon towards his mouth he pointed it to Didi, she giggled and asked "do you want mommy to eat some?", again he coed. Tommy was feeling happy as she went forward and ate a small spoonful of his dinner, and so they went one spoonful for her and another for him, when he heard his dad flip the page of the newspaper he was reading he remembered he didn't want his dad to eat that dog food either, so after a spoonful to Didi, Tommy pointed the spoon to Stu,

Didi noticed this and asked her husband "Stu can you come over here for Tommy please?", Stu folded his newspaper when he saw Tommy was holding out his spoon for him immediately understanding what Tommy wanted, he got up and accepted to be fed, after a couple of spoonful's Tommy was finished with his plate he was sad he felt hungry but at least nobody would eat that can of dog food. But he would suffer for his mommy and daddy. His mother grabbed the plate taking it to the sink, when Tommy saw this he was hoping that his parents would be done but he still noticed that they didn't get up, thinking they were still hungry and would need to eat that dog food, Tommy began to cry, while his eyes were closed he didn't notice Didi put the plate down by the cabinets, so Spike could eat. When he opened his eyes he found to his delight his mom had served him more melon puree and his parents each had a bowl of chicken soup.

Didi would eat a spoonful of soup for her then a spoonful of puree for Tommy, Tommy now cooing, he was more or less happy, his plan worked he gave his parents his food, and they seemed happy, however his bottom still hurt, even he knew he was stinking like Phil and Lil did most of the time, once he was done eating he began to cry again, his bottom hurt so much he had been in the highchair for so long, he went again in his diaper making a mess in his chair he was so tiered this was the worst for him. He tried shifting his weight in his chair only irritating his bottom even more.

After Didi was finished with her dinner she picked him up, by his underarms, and carried him away to the bathroom to be bathed, she set him on the ground, Tommy didn't move, normally he would run around but he couldn't move, any slight movement made his bottom hurt, Didi went to go look for some baby whips and when she came back Tommy hadn't moved an inch still standing where she left him, she placed him on the ground on his stomach and noticed his bottom was raw red, she gasped seeing how bad his diaper rash was, probably the reason he was so cranky, but Tommy would have to endure another day until they could buy more diapers and for now the bath would help, Didi grabbed Tommy placing him in the bath with his toy ducky that was in one of the bathroom cabinets.

Tommy wasn't able to move around much but he immediately felt the warm water making his bottom feel better. After his bath Didi gave him some cream to help with the diaper rash that was still there after the bath. She then took Tommy to his room ready for bed he wouldn't have a bottle this time seeing as he drank all the milk earlier so she kissed him goodnight and soon Tommy went right to sleep.

In the morning as Tommy woke up he felt his bottom still sore he was worried as he had just gone in his diaper and he probably wouldn't have a new diaper in the morning and he was thinking if he didn't get a new one he would need a sheet and make one for himself anything was better than staying in a dirty diaper, Tommy was thinking about how he would get everything by himself when he noticed his mom had come into the room, Didi kissed him good morning and took him in her arms, to his surprise Didi actually placed him on the changing table and began to change his diaper even though it wasn't that full, they went downstairs seeing Stu was ready to go see his brother, when they heard a knock on the door, it was their friends Chaz, Betty, and even Drew all came along with their kids, Stu was surprised they had an agreement to not come over until the end of the week, they all said hello.

And Chaz gave Stu an envelope and he began to say its 500 dollars that Betty and me scrapped together to help you guys out plus this basket with food to help you guys out, Stu grabbed the envelope not knowing what to say other than thank you, Drew then clearing his throat to get everyone's attention gave Stu a hug and told him, "You should of come to me if you have problems Stu, I got you 1,000 dollars, and don't worry about paying me back it's the least I could do after all you do take care of my little angel all the time."

Stu just smiled and gave everyone a hug. Didi came and joined in, meanwhile all the kids gathered together by the playpen, Tommy hugged them all, telling them how he missed them all, and how this week was so bad and that his parents had money problems, Angelica came over hearing this, and couldn't help talking by saying "You dumb babies that's because your poor Tommy"

"What's poor Angelica?" they all asked.

"That's when you don't have anything, and you can't buy anything" Answered Angelica.

"That's not true Angelica Tommy's not poor" said Chuckie not wanting to believe Angelica.

That's when Tommy interrupted, "Angelica is right you guys we are poor" he let out a deep sigh, my mommy and daddy cant buys new toys or even food, or diapies, that's why we don't have no couch or TV anymores."

That's when Chuckie said "But not anymore. Our mommies and daddies brought us today so they said we can share with you guys Tommy."

"Really Chuckie….?" Asked Tommy.

"Yeah let's go play outside so you can tell us what you did by yourself." Said Chuckie.

They all agreed except Angelica who had brought her own toys and started to play in the living room.

And so the babies gathered in the backyard in the sandbox while Tommy was telling them more about what it was like to be poor. They were interrupted by Stu and Didi that rushed to Tommy, picking him up and hugged him telling him everything was going to be ok, that after today their money problems were going to be all over. Tommy was so happy he began to giggle in his parents arms happy to hear this. All the problems with money were done.


End file.
